"Once upon a time there was a monster. This is how they tell you the story starts. This is a lie." Sometimes things are not what they appear to be. DNA doesn't define us, gravity doesn't hold us, a home doesn't mean we belong. From circus tents to space stations, Damien Angelica Walters creates stories that are both achingly familiar and chillingly surreal. Within her second short story collection, she questions who the real monsters are, rips families apart and stitches them back together, and turns a cell phone into the sharpest of weapons. Cry Your Way Home brings together seventeen stories that delve deep into human sorrow and loss, weaving pain, fear, and resilience into beautiful tales that are sure to haunt you long after you turn the last page. "Once upon a time there was a girl ..." Featuring the following works: "Tooth, Tongue, and Claw" "Deep Within the Marrow, Hidden in My Smile" "On the Other Side of the Door, Everything Changes" "This Is the Way I Die" "The Hands That Hold, the Lies That Bind" "Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys: The Elephant's Tale" "The Judas Child" "S Is for Soliloquy" "The Floating Girls: A Documentary" "Take a Walk in the Night, My Love" "Falling Under, Through the Dark" "The Serial Killer's Astronaut Daughter" "Umbilicus" "A Lie You Give, and Thus I Take" "Little Girl Blue, Come Cry Your Way Home" "Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice" "In the Spaces Where You Once Lived"

The authors would love you to join them on this enchanting journey of discovery; journeying through ancient African Kingdoms, a mythical forest, treacherous mountains, an arid desert and mysterious seas. Allow yourself to enjoy this immersive and enthralling tale set in medieval West Africa where Kings and Queens duel for power while mysterious creatures sent by the gods prepare to wage war upon them all. A generation has passed, and the devastation of war is slowly fading away but the scars remain, lingering in the hearts and minds of many. In an era of peace, King Ewuare remains conflicted, torn between opening closed wounds or allowing his reign of peace and prosperity to continue. As the King tries to resolve his moral conflict, the gods have a different agenda. Sinister and supernatural forces amass on the summit of the Agbon mountains, deep into the clouds, where no man dare stray, where the wind bites cold and the forest stays forever frozen. Within, lies a tale of Kings and Queens, warriors and commoners, slaves and sorcerers, and the consequences of their hurried actions. African tribes head to battle with swords forged of bronze and steel, wild beasts bending to the will of man and fighting side by side. A boy travels across the known world, through treacherous lands, in search of a hidden treasure. All amid betrayal of love, friendship and family. As a result, the survival of a people, culture and history hangs perilously in the balance. Book Background: A Cry to War is an African Fantasy set in 13th century West Africa and it’s loosely based on historical events, although it has been dramatised for the enjoyment of the reader. Through a fictional lens, you will feel part of the political alliances, conflicts and triumphs of several real-life ancient West African Kingdoms, such as the Benin Kingdom, the Ghanaian empire, the Malian Kingdom and the Fulani people. The story stretches across countries, continents and seas, showing a great variation in language, customs and traditions of several tribes but also the unity displayed by different characters to overcome adversity.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER They met over their dogs. Gail Caldwell and Caroline Knapp (author of Drinking: A Love Story) became best friends, talking about everything from their love of books and their shared history of a struggle with alcohol to their relationships with men. Walking the woods of New England and rowing on the Charles River, these two private, self-reliant women created an attachment more profound than either of them could ever have foreseen. Then, several years into this remarkable connection, Knapp was diagnosed with cancer. With her signature exquisite prose, Caldwell mines the deepest levels of devotion, and courage in this gorgeous memoir about treasuring a best friend, and coming of age in midlife. Let’s Take the Long Way Home is a celebration of the profound transformations that come from intimate connection—and it affirms, once again, why Gail Caldwell is recognized as one of our bravest and most honest literary voices.

I remember the first day I came home. There were four beautiful women walking out onto the porch to say hello. This was the home I’d almost forgotten about. Thank you, God, for leading me home. Have you ever felt lost? Do you long for a group of friends? Will you ever find your way home? In this remarkable book, the women of Magdalene ask questions that all of us ask, and they share their own joyous, painful, uplifting answers. Inspired by the classic Benedictine Rule, the women have written down 24 rules they live by in the Magdalene community, a place of healing and grace. “Magdalene is living out the call and making something of the Kingdom happen.” -Tony Campolo, author of Speaking My Mind “With honesty and urgency, Becca Stevens and her fellow pilgrims from Magdalene reveal the insights gained on their personal journeys to wholeness.” -Gloria Gaither, Christian recording artist “Magdalene has a tremendous track record of bringing recovery, hope, and independence to women in need.” -Bill Frist, M.D., Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader “In Find Your Way Home there are 24 rules...designed to provoke people into discovering that God loves you as you are right now. And that God loves the possibility within you.” -The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop, Episcopal Church Magdalene is a residential community of women who have a criminal history of prostitution and drug abuse. The women live together in a series of Magdalene homes, supporting themselves and each other through the work of Thistle Farms, a bath and body-care business run by those in the program. For more information, go to www.thistlefarms.org. Becca Stevens is the author of Hither & Yon, Finding Balance, and Sanctuary, nominated by Christianity Today as best spirituality book of 2005. Featured on CNN and in other national media, she is an Episcopal priest at St. Augustine’s Chapel at Vanderbilt University.

What does it mean to feel at home, truly present with ourselves, comfortable with our choices, and alive to the possibilities of conscious change? How can we develop inner balance and connection, keeping our boundaries clear while opening our hearts to those we love? With practical wisdom and insight, Melody Beattie addresses these questions, encouraging us to reach a higher level of living and loving, and showing us how to be at home with ourselves wherever we are in the world, at whatever stage of life. Through true stories and take-action exercises, including journaling, visualizations, affirmations, meditations, and prayers, Beattie provides the essential tools to help us discover our own sense of home. Accessible and illuminating, Finding Your Way Home is a soul-searching look at how not to be victimized by ourselves′or other people. Beattie urges us to discover new levels of integrity, to break through barriers that have blocked us for too long. This is a powerful and challenging book about buying back our souls and learning to live a life guided by spirit.

Do you believe that joy is a choice? Dawn Barton does. She's an upbeat Southerner with good hair and a successful business background, but she's had more heartache than most of us can imagine. Laughing Through the Ugly Cry is a collection of honest and sometimes raw stories. Dawn throws an arm around readers as she brings them along on her journey through the loss of a child, divorce, cancer, rape, the death of her only sibling, her husband's substance abuse, and finding her way back to Jesus in the middle of it all. Dawn shares her personal story to show readers how to find happiness and purpose even in the darkest of days. By laughing through the ugly cry, you will discover how to: Shut down negative feelings causing you to feel inadequate Identify the pros despite how challenging the cons may seem Embrace joy wherever you can find it Learn how to be honest with yourself and process grief in a healthy way Dawn writes, "If more women were open about just how difficult our lives feel and how hard we are on ourselves, I think we'd learn to relax a little and give ourselves the grace God gives us every day." Laughing Through the Ugly Cry is great for: Women of any age seeking comfort, encouragement, and inspiration Book clubs and girls' nights--Dawn poses thoughtful group questions to support meaningful conversations about growth and joy

This thoughtful, poetic book uses metaphors and beautiful imagery to explore the reasons for our tears. In a soft voice, Mario asks, “Mother, why do we cry?” And his mother begins to tell him about the many reasons for our tears. We cry because our sadness is so huge it must escape from our bodies. We cry because we don’t understand the world, and our tears go in search of an answer. Most important, she tells him, we cry because we feel like crying. And, as she shows him then, sometimes we feel like crying for joy. This warm, reassuring hug of a book makes clear that everyone is allowed to cry, and that everyone does.